Viacom And Time Warner Cable Resolve Mobile Streaming Dispute

The fight began last year: Viacom charged that Time Warner Cable violated its licensing agreement and Viacom’s copyrights when it streamed the company’s programming to customers’ iPads and other mobile devices. Time Warner Cable said that it was within its rights to just offer the shows in subscribers’ homes, likening the iPad to another TV screen. The companies sued each other, but also struck a standstill agreement in June to buy time to work things out. Viacom says on its blog that with the new agreement Time Warner Cable customers now will be able to watch shows such as MTV’s Jersey Shore and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show With Jon Stewart via the TWC TV app, available for iPads and Android tablets. Although the companies didn’t spell out financial terms, they said that they also resolved “unrelated business matters.” Time Warner Cable will carry some of Viacom’s marginal channels including MTV Hits, MTV Jams and Centric. In addition, Time Warner Cable will provide TV Land HD and BET HD in New York City and other top markets.

Here’s the companies’ statement:

Viacom and Time Warner Cable have agreed to resolve their pending litigations. All of Viacom’s programming will now be available to Time Warner Cable subscribers for in-home viewing via internet protocol-enabled devices such as iPads and Time Warner Cable will continue to carry Viacom’s Country Music Television (CMT) programming. In reaching the settlement agreement, Time Warner Cable and Viacom were also able to resolve other unrelated business matters to their mutual satisfaction. Neither side is conceding its original legal position or will have further comment.